The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) reported on Monday that freezing temperatures and a lack of shelter are tragically leading to the deaths of newborns in Gaza, with 7,700 infants currently denied access to essential life-saving care.
The death toll among children has risen to seven as the Israeli genocidal war on Gaza continues unabated. The relentless bombardment and destruction have created an uninhabitable environment for nearly two million displaced Palestinians, leaving them without adequate shelter, heating, or medical assistance. UNRWA confirmed that 7,700 newborns are critically vulnerable, lacking access to life-saving care amidst this ongoing humanitarian catastrophe.
In its statement, UNRWA highlighted how freezing conditions and the absence of shelter are directly contributing to the deaths of newborns. The World Health Organization (WHO) has strongly condemned Israeli attacks, including airstrikes that rendered Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza inoperable. UNRWA also revealed that Israel has carried out 50 assaults on the hospital and surrounding areas since October 2024.
Over the past two weeks, the bitter cold has claimed the lives of displaced Palestinians, particularly infants, as they struggle to survive in tents under harsh conditions. Many families have been forced to flee with only summer clothing, following Israel’s relentless attacks over the past 14 months. Humanitarian warnings of rising casualties grow louder as the displaced endure intolerable conditions with no meaningful international intervention.
Gaza’s Government Media Office reported on Monday that the number of deaths caused by freezing temperatures is expected to rise further. The death of an infant earlier in the day brought the total to eight. The office described the conditions in the displacement camps as catastrophic, with families living in makeshift tents since the onset of Israel’s genocidal assault on Gaza.
Last week’s storms and heavy rains worsened the crisis, destroying hundreds of tents across Gaza and flooding streets. The situation has been exacerbated by Israel’s deliberate destruction of vital infrastructure, including sewage systems and water wells, leaving the displaced even more vulnerable.
For over 14 months, Gaza has been subjected to Israel’s continuous genocidal war, forcing nearly two million Palestinians to endure unimaginable suffering. With no access to basic necessities, healthcare, or dignified shelter, Gaza’s civilians are left defenceless against the combined onslaught of war and winter, while the world watches in complicit silence.
